RX
We met Derek and Rob from RX Architects in front of Seabreeze on Camber Sands on a sunny, out-of-the-blue day. One of their award winning projects.
Rob and Derek from RX Architects at Seabreeze on Camber Sands.
How did you both meet and start working together?
Derek. We met working at a local architects’ practice. Our interests aligned, and we wanted to continue working on local projects. We didn’t feel the urge to go and work too far afield because we could see huge potential in this area.
Rob. It came when we recognised that many exciting things were happening in this part of the country, and we wanted to be involved. We picked up a few beach houses early on and found those fun projects to do. All are unique with exciting clients, one lead to another, and at this stage, we must have done at least a dozen one-off coastal house projects.
“Working on the Rye Kino at the previous practice helped us see that there are fun niche projects. For example, a cinema conversion of a listed building in the middle of a citadel made us think some exciting things are going on down here.”
Rob. I was interested in living by the coast and working on local niche one-off projects. Very much looking at the extended plan of building a design-led practice. That was our ambition rather than going for mega projects.
Derek. We set up RX Architects five years ago; from then on, we employed another team member when we picked up another job. So, we’ve grown from there, and now there are 14 of us.
Rob. It has naturally evolved; we have not actively looked for work. But we’ve tried to make the most of each job we get. Working with Kino, The George in Rye, and Tillingham introduced us to many people. We’ve worked on another four wineries since Tillingham. So, you get involved in one project, hear about something else, and it all ebbs and flows naturally.
Derek. The Rye Creative Centre is an excellent base for us and it was the right time to set up and focus on this area. You don’t have the confines of a built-up city environment; many more people say, I’ve got this great location, but can you do anything with the building? We try to make the house respond accordingly to the setting and are inspired by the surrounding landscape. Emphasis on materiality combined with a drive towards using renewables makes it even more enjoyable. Clients are pushing for that. We don’t need to force it on anyone. Down here, nearly everything is about how it sits in the natural environment, requiring a bespoke thought process on each project which is constantly rewarding for us.
How did RX Architects get started?
Rob. We had a few local projects that we picked up early on and were keen to make the most of. So one of them was a beach house, which won the Times House of the Year. So that was a great project and a brilliant start for us as a practice. It got us some publicity, and it was drastically changing in Camber. It was that shift when people started looking at properties along the south east coastline; it had gone unloved for a long time. At the same time, people were looking to do exciting and creative things.
Our first project working together was The George, and we’ve just been involved in it again. We had both worked on hotels and other similar things at previous jobs. So, we knew we wanted to do a mix of projects and not focus on one area.
In Rye, we have conservation areas, archaeology, flood risk, and any contentious issues which you could think of. So often, the default is let’s go to three architects in London and ask them to put a quote together. The reality is that they will need to start from scratch on the learning curve of this area. Many people quickly realise that there are quite a few tricky issues we’ve previously navigated through.
It sounds like you enjoy living and working in the south east.
Derek. We enjoy living and bringing up our families here. Originally from the east coast of Scotland, I have worked in different parts of the world but always gravitate to the sea. Living at Winchelsea beach, I can get up in the morning, swim in the sea or sneak in a windsurf, and then cycle through Rye Nature Reserve into the office; it’s a great part of the country.
Rob. We’ve done a few collaborations with practices in London, and they come down, and they’re like, just one of your beach houses would be an absolute dream job for us. So many jobs we do for some practices would be a rarity. So, yeah, we are very happy here.
Derek. We work hard on each project; we knew developing a practice would be full-time, weekends and nights. It works because we put the effort in together on the whole thing and have a great team around us.
Please tell us about a few of your projects.
Rob. The Pink House, Seabreeze, is a good one as it’s a beach house, which is how we started the practice; we called ourselves RX Architects after the RX marine code for Rye and Hastings, which connects us to the coastline.
Grand Designs will feature Seabreeze in a four-episode special on each of the long-listed houses in the running for the RIBA House of the Year. So, it has been up for several awards. It won a RIBA regional award, and it won the Times British Homes award; there was stiff competition, so winning was terrific.
Derek. A wonderful client and a unique site; it is on Camber beach, fully exposed to the public eye. It has been designed around that; it is supposed to be fun. Pink, tucked into a sand dune, and a simple shape that resonates with most people.
Rob. The design was fundamentally about it standing up to the elements; it ties into our local knowledge of issues with beach houses, wind, sand, salt air and other ecology issues. So, it combines those things in that one little house.
The project started with Phillips & Stubbs Estate Agents, and the people planning to purchase it wanted to convert the loft in the existing house. Phillips & Stubbs put us in contact, so we looked at it. The structural engineer looked at it and said there was no chance the building would be able to take it; you needed to start again. They were halfway through buying it at that point; it almost got them excited about having free reign and starting from nothing. The original building was demolished, and they owned a little plot of sand on the beach.
We took the client to other beach houses we’d done, which helped them visualise ideas as they lived overseas, and we wanted to show them that they were in safe hands.
We spoke to neighbours of Seabreeze and told them the finish would be pink; they didn’t sound convinced, but when they saw it, they told us we love it. Pink might sound bright and, in your face, but it’s not offensive. On the contrary, it pops nicely with the colours of the dunes and sky; it has quite a natural feel.
Everything had to come down the beach to get to the site, and it started the first week of lockdown, the beach was closed, and we had it to ourselves. Michael Gove’s interview came on TV where he said construction must continue; all construction workers exempt, so it was time to crack on. We also had to start in March because of migrating birds in the dunes. So, the council dictated the start date to us. Most of the seriously disruptive work that requires diggers was complete by the time the beach reopened.
The building and scaffolding were wrapped, keeping the wind from blowing sand all over and into the construction. So, you could only step back and look at the building once the building was almost finished. So, again, this was quite an unusual experience; usually, you can see it before everything comes together.
“We have a great balance of contemporary architecture and listed properties. We might work on something modern in the morning and go to work on a 15th Century barn in the afternoon. In one way, it is the same; it’s about putting things together. It’s all about the process.”
Derek. Tillingham Winery was the first big commission we won after starting RX Architects. We wanted to work on commercial projects, and a winery sounded like a really interesting proposition. We didn’t know anything about wineries at the time. It already had a stunning location and those amazing buildings. Ben was relaxed about what we did. Once we got on board, we all agreed to keep the existing buildings. They looked good to us; we wanted to retain the existing agricultural vernacular and work around this. At the same time, someone from a farming background could see it falling apart and wonder why anybody would want to keep it.
It was a good balance having someone practical like Ben with a set budget. He was open to ideas despite having a strong vision for the end result. It made sense money-wise to reuse as much as possible, and the place has a great feel.
Watching Tillingham evolve with Marion Boswell’s planting and Marcus Crane bringing the interiors together. Ben would buy second-hand furniture, and it all works. Without all those people, it wouldn’t be the same, and I love being part of this kind of team. That project has introduced us to other farm-type settings that want to turn what they have into a business hub. We’ve managed to work with five wineries so far, some small and bespoke and others more established high-end brands. Viniculture along the south coast has been booming over the last ten years while we’ve been building up RX, so from a timing point of view, it’s worked out great.
The people that run the wineries think long-term. They are used to waiting for things to ferment, grow and mature, which can take years. They think generationally and plan long-term. They do not prioritise getting everything done now and as cheaply as possible. They have a deep understanding of the landscape they farm and consider projects that have long-term value for the next generation of wine growers.
Many interesting things are going on in all different sectors. Some projects are modern, while others are listed buildings. For example, we completely rebuilt a 15th-century barn and rethatched the roof, so we were lucky to work with amazing craftspeople. The building site looked medieval; there was the thatcher on the roof, tapping in straw with a paddle; you have got these other guys working on large pieces of green oak, chipping and planning out the unwanted bits. And then you have guys heating pots of lime mortar for the stonework; it is all so interesting to see first-hand.
The historical consultant, Ben Kirk, whom we got to work on that project, we’ve worked with loads. He is passionate about heritage buildings. So, we got him into work on The George in Rye. His expertise was essential in that project, obtaining planning and communicating with the local planning conservation officer. They love that conversation because it improves their knowledge of old buildings. Plus, it helps us to get a project signed off.
